EQT undertakes strategic review of credit business
EQT has announced a review of its credit business with the firm appointing JP Morgan to evaluate its 'strategic options', according to the firm’s Q4 2019 report

TPG makes European direct lending hire from Investec
TPG Sixth Street Partners has bolstered its UK and European direct lending opportunities team with a hire from Investec 

Advisory firm starts strategic review after credit specialist join M&G and Pictet
A London-based middle market advisory firm is undergoing a strategic review, according to market sources, shortly after it lost two partners to the buy side

Partners nears $100 billion in AUM as CLOs drive private debt growth
Swiss manager Partners Group has reached $94.1 billion in assets under management, with CLOs boosting the firm’s growth, according to its 2019 annual results  

ICG hires two for new mid market strategy after raising €1 billion
Intermediate Capital Group has made senior hires to help source deals and invest through a €1 billion middle market fund launched last year

Ares makes rare move by pulling out of private debt mandate
Greater London’s local government pension pool has lost one of its credit managers after Ares Management withdrew from its role as fund manager on an illiquid loan and private debt mandate  

Apollo fills gap in European direct lending team with senior hire from Alcentra
Apollo Global Management has filled a void in its European direct lending team by hiring Alcentra’s Natalia Tsitoura, according to market sources

BNP Paribas AM hits €345 million on first close of European SME debt fund
BNP Paribas Asset Management has attracted €345 million from 13 investors for its second European debt fund focused on small and medium-sized enterprises, marking the fund’s first close

Ex-CQS portfolio manager resurfaces at Axa IM
A former European leveraged loan portfolio manager who left CQS in July 2018 has resurfaced at Axa Investment Management

CDP commits to Italian private debt
Italian state-owned investor Cassa Depositi e Prestiti (CDP) has committed €40 million to a private debt fund managed by Anthilia Capital Partners

Private debt secondaries expected to soar in 2020
Private debt secondaries grew massively in 2019 — and more is expected this year.

Texas pension awards €100 million to European direct lending
Texas County and District Retirement System has allocated €100 million to a European direct lending fund managed by Metric Capital Partners

Alcentra plugs gaps as CIO leaves the firm
Alcentra’s chief investment officer has departed, with the firm splitting his responsibilities between its heads of European loans and US loans as co-CIOs 

BlackRock targets €2.5 billion as it completes first close on European mid-market fund
BlackRock European Middle Market Private Debt Fund II, having collected €1.5 billion at first close, is expected to hold a final close in the first half of next year at around €2.5 billion, according to market sources 

West coast pension looks to step up direct lending allocations
The City of Fresno Retirement System will commit $140-160 million to private credit for the next two years, according to board documentation seen by Creditflux. This comes amid a pause in direct lending commitments for the pension fund, which has not committed any capital to this market in 2019

Italian journalists set for greater exposure to infrastructure debt
The pension fund for Italian journalists has launched a request for proposals in which it seeks exposure to infrastructure debt, along with infrastructure equity

Tikehau builds private debt secondary platform with senior hire
Tikehau Capital has bolstered its private debt capabilities with the launch of a new secondaries platform

Schelcher nears €300 million first close of European direct lending fund
The strategy - mainly focused on France - has recieved a €40 million commitment from the European Investment Fund

Aviva expands ESG private debt capabilities
Asset manager Aviva Investors has appointed Ed Dixon to serve as head of head of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) within real assets, including private debt.  

Wells Fargo AM makes big credit hire to co-head its private strategies team
Wells Fargo Asset Management has appointed Vincent Lu to co-head the firm’s private strategies, according to an internal memo seen by Creditflux

THL updates credit investment framework to include ESG
THL Credit Advisors has announced that it has developed an investment framework for assessing environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors in analysing credit quality and risk factors

Italian bank Equita launches €1 billion asset management arm
The firm has plans to launch its second private debt fund Equita Private Debt Fund II at the end of the year 

Direct lenders seek kindred ESG private equity sponsors
Direct lenders are keen to cultivate relationships with private equity sponsors that have a background investing with an environmental, social and governance (ESG) focus.

EQT looks to raise €500 million via IPO
The initial public offering is anticipated to increase EQT's flexbility to “pursue growth opportunities” and expand its private market investing business

Capital Four holds final close on nordic direct lending fund
The Copenhagen-based manager has held an €343 million final close for its latest private debt fund, according to market sources